The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commenced the first phase of its flagship youth empowerment programme, the Holistic Opportunity Project of Engagement, also known as Project HOPE.
This is as the Commission flagged off the training of 370 supervisors and collation officers to escalate registration and collation for the programme across the nooks and crannies of the region.
The NDDC Project HOPE, a flagship programme of the Samuel Ogbuku Management of the NDDC, aims to provide a database from where youths of the region will be engaged in empowerment programmes as the Commission is out to create ten thousand jobs from the programme.
The 370 youths selected via a technologically driven process from the 185 local government areas of the Niger Delta are the first set of test-run engagements for the Project to ascertain the system’s credibility and to escalate the registration and collation process for the first phase of the programme.
Speaking at the flag of the training at the Rivers State Information Technology Centre, ICT Centre in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the NDDC Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku says the interventionist agency is poised to equip youths of the region with the right skills-set in order to be self-reliant and industrious.
The NDDC boss, who was represented by the Commission’s Director of Commercial and Industrial Development, Mr Godwin Nosiri, assured that the Commission is determined to implement every segment of the programme for the overall benefit of the region.
“We are blessed to have a management who has the interest of the Niger Delta youths at heart. Today marks the commencement of a value-packed 3-day training,” he said.
He added that: “Our aim is to have a Niger Delta where the NDDC is truly making a difference. A Niger Delta where our youths are self-reliant and progressive to ensure that there is peace in the region for development to thrive.
“The facilitator is also a youth from the Niger Delta. This programme was packaged over the years before he was able to get management buy-in. Today, we have a management that listens. I want you to give him every possible support. You will benefit at the end of the training.”
Giving a background to the training, the facilitator of the programme, Mr Blessing Fubara noted that: “Project HOPE is a deliberate action by the NDDC to proffer sustainable solutions for youth engagements and regional development.
“The project is divided into two phases. The first is to reassure us of the sincerity of purpose and delivery from the NDDC by creating a parameter for programme selection and implementation; and training over 200 supervisors and collation officers.
“When these participants are deployed after the training, the first phase of the project will be done. This would usher us into the second phase which entails identifying potentials, engaging, and training 10,000 youths in local governments and rural areas of the Niger Delta. As you can see, NDDC is investing in the future of our region.”
He added that for every phase of the Project, those engaged will be remunerated in line with the prevailing salary structure.
Some of the trainees commended the NDDC for the transparency in the selection process and called for the sustainability of the programme, saying youths of the oil-rich region are desirous of empowerment opportunities which Project HOPE presents.
